How life has changed in Rhondda Cynon Taf

Rhondda Cynon Taf's population increased by about 2,500 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 230,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Rhondda Cynon Taf increased by 1.1%, from just under 232,000 to 234,000.

The addition of just under 2,500 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Rhondda Cynon Taf was home to, on average, 3.9 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Rhondda Cynon Taf

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Rhondda Cynon Taf increased by two years, from 38 to 40 years.

This area had a slightly lower average age than Torfaen (one of the most statistically similar areas to Rhondda Cynon Taf based on ONS area classifications) (41 years of age) and remained slightly younger than the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 5,300 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 5,000.

About 12.0% of people in Rhondda Cynon Taf are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Welsh language in Rhondda Cynon Taf

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Rhondda Cynon Taf remained close to 12.3% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 274 more people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 1,357.

In Merthyr Tydfil (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Rhondda Cynon Taf), 8.9% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 10.0% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 20.5% to 19.0%.

Monmouthshire was one of the few areas that saw an increase in the proportion of Welsh speakers (from 9.0% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011), while Carmarthenshire saw the largest fall (from 50.1% to 43.9%).

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Health improved

Rhondda Cynon Taf saw Wales' second-largest fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across Wales saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 12.5% to 7.6%.

In 2011, just under 1 in 10 (9.6%) in Rhondda Cynon Taf said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 15.7% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 61.0% to 74.5%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 18.1% to 11.2%).

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Rhondda Cynon Taf decreased by 6.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

Rhondda Cynon Taf saw Wales' largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households.

During this period, Rhondda Cynon Taf overtook four local authority areas, including Newport and Neath Port Talbot, to become the Wales local authority area with the third-highest percentage of single-parent households.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13.1%) households in Rhondda Cynon Taf had a single parent, compared with 11.5% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising a married couple decreased from 38.1% to 33.4%.

Wrexham saw Wales' next largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households (from 9.7% to 11.3%).

The percentage of households with a single-parent was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

Rhondda Cynon Taf saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of self-employed people.

During this period, Rhondda Cynon Taf fell below to become the Wales local authority area with the sixth-lowest percentage of self-employed people.

In 2011, just over 1 in 16 (6.4%) people aged 16 to 74 in Rhondda Cynon Taf said they were self-employed, compared with 4.9% in 2001. The percentage that were employed increased from 46.6% to 49.0%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of self-employed people occurred in Monmouthshire (from 10.5% to 12.0%).

The rate of self-employment in Rhondda Cynon Taf increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Wales that said they were self-employed, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Rhondda Cynon Taf

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Rhondda Cynon Taf was among those who said they had no religion, rising 16.2 points.

In 2011, 44.0% of respondents in Rhondda Cynon Taf gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 27.8% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Wales, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 20.2% to 34.7%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Rhondda Cynon Taf, 54.5% said they were Christian, compared with 71.3% in 2001. About 0.5% said they were Muslim, compared with 0.3% a decade prior.

In Rhondda Cynon Taf, 7.4% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 9.0% in 2001. Across Wales, 7.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 8.1% in 2001.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Rhondda Cynon Taf increased by 16 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in Wales, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Rhondda Cynon Taf that rented privately increased from 7.4% to 13.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in seven (13.7%) households lived in social housing, compared with 14.7% in 2001. The percentage of Rhondda Cynon Taf households that owned their home decreased from 74.9% to 71.0%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to nearby Merthyr Tydfil (which remained close 11.6%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 8.6% to 14.1%.

Private renting in Rhondda Cynon Taf increased by 6.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Wales that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Rhondda Cynon Taf

The percentage of single people in Rhondda Cynon Taf increased from 28.4% to 33.9% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under one in two (46.1%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 51.6% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Rhondda Cynon Taf that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 10.5% to 11.9%.

The proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased at a slower rate here than in nearby Merthyr Tydfil (which remained close 35.3%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 28.1% to 33.5%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Rhondda Cynon Taf working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 9.9% to 7.6% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to nearby Merthyr Tydfil (which remained close 7.4%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12.0% to 9.3%.

Long hour working in Rhondda Cynon Taf decreased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Wales that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Rhondda Cynon Taf

The percentage of Rhondda Cynon Taf residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 5.5% to 6.0% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 7.0%, while the percentage of Rhondda Cynon Taf residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 87.5% to 87.4%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to nearby Merthyr Tydfil (which remained close 6.2%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 4.6% to 5.2%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Families in Rhondda Cynon Taf

The percentage of households with adult children living with their parents changed very little in Rhondda Cynon Taf, while the proportion increased in nearby Merthyr Tydfil.

In Rhondda Cynon Taf, the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents stayed close to 12.0% between the last two censuses. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Merthyr Tydfil increased from 11.7% to 14.2%.

Across Wales, the share of households with adult children living with their parents increased from 10.2% to 10.7%.

The proportion of households with children in Rhondda Cynon Taf fell from 32.4% to 30.1%, while the proportion of households without children increased from 55.9% to 57.9%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Rhondda Cynon Taf residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.7% to 2.0% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 3.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to nearby Merthyr Tydfil (which remained close 2.2%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 1.5% to 1.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Rhondda Cynon Taf remained close to 2.0%

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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